Tom Coughlin made it clear this morning that Brandon Jacobs isn’t here to mentor second-year running back David Wilson. He’s not here as an insurance policy. And he’s not here to be an inspirational locker-room presence.

Jacobs is here to play and he’ll almost certainly be on the field Sunday afternoon when the Giants play Denver in the third Manning Bowl at MetLife Stadium.

And to say Jacobs cherishes the opportunity is a colossal understatement.

“Brandon come in at a time when a veteran running back with size is someone who can help us,” Coughlin said this morning before practice. “He has been out of football for a while and is very anxious to have an opportunity and is willing to do whatever we ask him to do to help our team.”

At 6-foot-4, 265 pounds, Jacobs will be asked to be a force in pass protection and help out in short-yardage and goal-line situations. He has just 18 fumbes in 1,083 career carries.

“I think he’s in pretty good shape,” Coughlin said. “We worked him out. He has looked forward to the opportunity that would come whether it be here and someplace else. We’re going to deal with him like we would any other player because quite frankly, we need him to play. He wouldn’t be here if that wasn’t the case.”

Asked about Jacobs being a big brother of sorts to Wilson, Coughlin said, “Brandon will do a good job in that regard but that’s not the primary reason he is here.”